Auckland Rail Electrification Project

[Matt L]

I don't imagine it will take them long to do the Manukau branch at all, I remember early on out west they could do about 2-3km of wire on each main in a long weekend so getting Manukau down now should only take a couple of days all up.

[odaikorob]

Yip, it's a full wire that has been run along. They were doing this afternoon, saw then after 2 when I drove by at lunch time.

The electrification crews sure are motoring now!

Looks like the last bit of wiring work to be fitted in before Monday 7 Jan, is the stretch from Puhinui to just outside Mitre 10 on the Manukau Branch line. It would be nice to get the wires all the way into the station but I think the load of gantries that have been sitting on the platform there, wont be erected in time. The traction bloke from Taumarunui I spoke to today said that they only do wiring work and that another separate crew do mast erection work beforehand - horse before the cart.

[AKL_Train_Driver]

Yip, it's a full wire that has been run along. They were doing this afternoon, saw then after 2 when I drove by at lunch time.

The electrification crews sure are motoring now!

Looks like the last bit of wiring work to be fitted in before Monday 7 Jan, is the stretch from Puhinui to just outside Mitre 10 on the Manukau Branch line. It would be nice to get the wires all the way into the station but I think the load of gantries that have been sitting on the platform there, wont be erected in time. The traction bloke from Taumarunui I spoke to today said that they only do wiring work and that another separate crew do mast erection work beforehand - horse before the cart.

Those gantries must be going outside of the station as there are catenary supports fixed to the underside of the support beams for the trench walls at Manukau. I don't see why they would put them on the platforms... Why not just leave them outside the trench, there is room?

[odaikorob]

Any wiring up at Glen Innes yet?

You won't see any wiring out east until the rest of the lines are mostly completed. They are still busy pouring mast bases and erecting the masts themselves. Orakei Basin will be the one of the last sections as it is, err, most sensitive to the locals.

So the locals know nothing of the masts and traction that will go in there? Keep 'em in the dark and feed them on the proverbial is it? The mast erection crew and the traction crew will have to do the entire Meadowbank to Britomart stretch all in one night then! Will take 3 crews of each to do that. Practicing they must be thus, on the rest of the network to get their work speed up enough to do this one-nighter at Orakei come July-August. Ganbare! - http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=ganbare

[martync]

Those gantries must be going outside of the station as there are catenary supports fixed to the underside of the support beams for the trench walls at Manukau. I don't see why they would put them on the platforms... Why not just leave them outside the trench, there is room?

Agreed, they don't need um there. Must just be 'secure' storage perhaps?

[martync]

Yip, it's a full wire that has been run along. They were doing this afternoon, saw then after 2 when I drove by at lunch time.

The electrification crews sure are motoring now!

Just drove by before. The crews are back , they are currently down again at the link area between the NIMT & MB lines

[geoff_184]

(click on images for larger view)

Papakura:













Takanini:

Te Mahia:

Manurewa:

Wiri:







Manukau:


Puhinui:


Wiri Junction:


Papatoetoe:


Otahuhu:












New line to Otahuhu steel mill:


New Kiwi Street level crossing:


Panmure:


Ellerslie:



Mt Albert:

[Chris Randal.]

That should push up the hosting costs

[Hamish O]

That should push up the hosting costs

Not really as thoose images are hosted by flicr not the CBT. Uploading of images is not allowed in this board.

[exaucklanderinsydney]

Thanks for uploading so many great photos, good for those of us who can't see it for ourselves

[confusis]

Spotted that beam (last pic) travelling through Otahu on Friday... mentioned to my passenger that it was probably heading to Mt Albert.. Yay I was right Sure hope they get that entrance done before end of Feb (although I'm not holding my breath)

[hinvest]

Thanks Geoff for many excellent pix. Gives me some idea what to expect when back at work tomorrow!

Cheers,
Joseph

[martync]

Yip, it's a full wire that has been run along. They were doing this afternoon, saw then after 2 when I drove by at lunch time.

The electrification crews sure are motoring now!

Looks like the last bit of wiring work to be fitted in before Monday 7 Jan, is the stretch from Puhinui to just outside Mitre 10 on the Manukau Branch line. It would be nice to get the wires all the way into the station but I think the load of gantries that have been sitting on the platform there, wont be erected in time. The traction bloke from Taumarunui I spoke to today said that they only do wiring work and that another separate crew do mast erection work beforehand - horse before the cart.

Unless they are working tonight, the cables wont be up to the section break at Mitre 10 Mega on the Manukau branch. No more lines or masts have gone up today

[john-ston]

How long (in metres) is the dock platform?

[vworp]

How long (in metres) is the dock platform?

I would hazard a guess of around 120 metres.

EDIT: I may be wrong. It is likely there's an error of +/- 10 metres, but it's hard to judge from various plans I've seen.

[Matt L]

I assume it was designed to allow for at least an SA4 to be docked there. The question though is if we electrify to Puke like it sounds like AT are now planning for it seems that this will be come redundant in a few years.

[Hamish O]

I assume it was designed to allow for at least an SA4 to be docked there. The question though is if we electrify to Puke like it sounds like AT are now planning for it seems that this will be come redundant in a few years.

I know, every time I look at it I shudder as it seems like such a waste to design it in that way so it could never be used by through services or those terminating from the north.

[vworp]

I assume it was designed to allow for at least an SA4 to be docked there. The question though is if we electrify to Puke like it sounds like AT are now planning for it seems that this will be come redundant in a few years.

Not if you're a member of the 'I want to commute between Auckland + Hamilton' camp. They're currently using the platform for the Northern Explorer until Britomart reopens...

[kaiwhara]

Its about 90m actually, a 4 car SA fits *just* provided the SD is leading.

[john-ston]

Anyhow, if the dock platform did become redundant, then it should not be too difficult to take the space occupied by the track and extend the main platform.